50p a day til Christmas - healthily?! Weezl's next challenge...

MRSMCAWBER

Munchki

I have to admit to being an almond fanatic too :shhh: ... I make myself wait until December -then i make a rum stollen with marzipan through the middle nomnomnom ..If I started on them now I would OD on them -still at least you can tell you OH to keep an eye out in Aldi/Lidl now-as I bet they won't be far behind us

I forgot to mention that today "real" are selling whole pigs for €87.15/about £70 for 35 kilo...good job I haven't got room in the freezer for it (yet)....
I noticed today again that along side the "normal" meat that you could get, trotters -80c about 65p for 3, raw tongue, fresh suet.. Has anyone used fresh suet before..weezle ? ...only im tempted to give it a go as its much cheaper than "atora" :rotfl: but i normaly have the veg one as its lighter.... but it costs quite a bit out here as the NAAFI is the only place to get it..so i would be interested to know what folks think of it

right off again..more lists to do

munchki

BASHFUL wrote: »

Hi all.....just wanted to make you all feel better about your toms, I have three plants that have grown to nearly the same height as me (I am a shorty!!!) and not a tomato in site, green or otherwise!!!!! just big plants!!!!! I wait in hope!!! Anyone got a recipe for strawberry jam??? I had a look on the front page, and couldn't find one for jam.....any recipes appreciated, as wanted to make some today?? x x x

Here is the recipe that I used. Really very nice

800g berries, 1kg of jam sugar, knob of butter

crush the berries and put in pan, add the jam sugar and heat gently whilst stirring continuously until the jam sugar dissolves. Do not boil yet

add a knob of butterm keep stirring, increasing the heat bringing it to a rolling boil. Once reached boil for 4 mins only. remove from heat and pot into warm jars and seal down

easy peasy and wonderful..........now I wish i had more strawbs, will have to watch for cheap frozen or fresh ones

Hope that helps

kath xx

Allegra

ceridwen wrote: »

I've also dried some tomatoes before now (in a dehydrator) and then put them in jars covered with oil and patted myself on t'back for having homemade sundried tomatoes in oil - but they went mouldy in only a couple of months or so:mad: -

That's a right bar steward, that is. I hate it when food goes off. I have to say, "sun"dried tomatoes just do not last long enough in my vicinity for that to be a problem - I've only ever stored them in a brown paper bag in a dark cupboard.

I don't know much about dehydrators - is it possible that they weren't quite dry before you stored them ? Or that the jars weren't ? That might account for the mould...

My toms aren't ripe yet, either. Glad to know it's not just me ! I have now resorted to desperate measures and stripped off all the foliage, and cut the tops off all plants, even though there is still plenty of flower on them. If that fails to ripen those that are there, then green tomato chutney and a hunt for whoopsied toms to dry it is...

shaz_mum_of__2

Hi all still not caught up properly

mrs mccawber have you looked at these for pulses

http://www.goodnessdirect.co.uk/cgi-local/frameset/sect/FBP-Beans___Pulses.html

not sure about postage,but the bigger quantities work out about same as mr t

Shaz

MRSMCAWBER

Oooohhhh Shaz...

How spookey..i started looking through that site about 10 mins ago :rotfl: ..Im going to do a double check on posting to BFPO....Im sure I can spend £35 to get free postage ..right off to have another looksy .. thankyou sooo much by the way

walmerstores

Hi finaly finished reading the thread seems to have taken years:rolleyes:
Anyway is you want a recipe to make stollen I have one I can post for you has anyone got any idea how I can use loads of runner beans?

munchki

walmerstores wrote: »

Hi finaly finished reading the thread seems to have taken years:rolleyes:
Anyway is you want a recipe to make stollen I have one I can post for you has anyone got any idea how I can use loads of runner beans?

I know my DH would love a recipe for Stollen.....which means in turn that I would like one as well :rotfl: Just cant see DH making it!

As for runner beans, when in the past mine actually did something, not like this year:mad: I used to just blanch and pop in the freezer. When I lived in the states I actually used to jar/preserve them, but freezing so much easier!

HTH

Kath xx

phizzimum

munchki wrote: »

Here is the recipe that I used. Really very nice

800g berries, 1kg of jam sugar, knob of butter

munchki - I'm intrigued, what does the butter do?

walmerstores

The butter is supposed to stop as much scum forming on top of the jam

walmerstores

I dont make the marzipan I just use shop bought but here is the complete recipe is you fancy giving it a try
For the stollen
200ml/7fl oz milk
1 tbsp caster sugar
2½ tsp dried yeast
375g/13oz strong white flour, plus extra for dusting
pinch salt
110g/4oz butter, softened
1 free-range egg, beaten
150g/5oz mixed raisins, golden sultanas, dried cranberries and natural glac! cherries
50g/2oz flaked almonds
½ lemon, zest only
oil, for greasing
For the marzipan
250g/9oz caster sugar
75ml/3fl oz water
250g/9oz ground almonds
1 free-range egg white, lightly whisked
¼ tsp almond extract
For the icing
125g/4½oz icing sugar
2 tbsp lemon juice

Method
1. For the stollen, place the milk into a saucepan and bring slowly to a simmer.
2. Place the sugar and yeast into a bowl and pour on the warm milk. Whisk to combine, then set aside for five minutes until frothy.
3. Place the flour and salt into another bowl and pour in the milk and yeast mixture. Stir to form a soft dough. Alternatively, place into a food mixer with a dough hook and set to a medium speed.
4. Add the butter, beaten egg, dried fruits, almonds and lemon zest and mix until well combined.
5. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for a few minutes until smooth and elastic. Place into a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a tea towel. Set in a warm place and leave to prove for 1-2 hours, until doubled in size.
6. Meanwhile, for the marzipan, place the sugar and water into a saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer. Place a sugar thermometer into the pan and cook until it reaches soft ball stage, 110C/230F.
7. Place the ground almonds into a bowl with the egg white and almond extract. Pour on the sugar syrup and mix vigorously to form a thick paste. Set aside for five minutes to firm up.
8. Remove the stollen dough from the bowl and knead briefly to knock the air out of it. Pull into an oblong shape and place onto a non-stick baking sheet.
9. Form the marzipan into a log and place down the centre of the dough. Roll the dough up lengthways to enclose the marzipan. Place seam-side down on the baking sheet, then cover with a clean tea towel and leave to rise for 30 minutes.
10. Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5.
11. Place the stollen in the oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until lightly golden-brown and risen, and hollow-sounding when tapped on the bottom. Place on a rack to cool.
12. Meanwhile, mix all but two tablespoons of the icing sugar with the lemon juice to make a firm icing. Spread the icing over the warm stollen, then dust with the remaining icing sugar. Cut into slices and serve warm.